Wheelchairs are mobility devices that are used primarily by two groups of individuals. One group includes long-term patients who are chronically weak or ill and the other are short-term patients who are in rehabilitation programs such as after a trauma or surgery. Many patients who are long-term wheelchair users still maintain the ability to walk short distances unsupervised. They however, require the use of a walker for such ambulation. Usually the distances they can walk before needing to sit and rest is often limited. Long-term care facilities lack the staffing to supervise such brief episodes of walker-assisted ambulation so most residents are relegated to spending almost all of their time in a wheelchair. This puts patients at higher risk for dependent edema, pressure ulcers, and thrombophlebitis (blood clots).
The other primary group of wheelchair users includes patients who are non-ambulatory for short periods such as when recovering from trauma or a major surgery such as hip or knee replacement. Many of these patients also need a wheelchair intermittently, in between walker use.
Traditionally, in order for a wheelchair user to transition to use of a walker, a separate walker device is needed. This normally requires participation of a second assistant other than the wheelchair user, such as a nurse, physical therapist, family member, or other medical assistant.
Accordingly, a need has been identified for a device that would allow the wheelchair user to transition to a walker that may not require assistance from a third person.